The wars in the Middle East and Ukraine have sent shockwaves through global energy markets, pushing fuel prices to record levels in many parts of the world. For millions of drivers, the rising cost of gasoline has become a powerful reminder of their dependence on traditional internal combustion engines.

For some countries, this transition would represent a major transformation in everyday life, affecting everything from personal mobility to energy consumption habits. However, in other regions, the shift toward electric transportation is no longer a distant vision of the future. Statistics show that electric vehicles have been steadily gaining popularity for several years, supported by technological advances, government incentives, and growing environmental awareness.

According to the International Energy Agency’s latest update building on the Global EV Outlook 2026, overall passenger car sales in the first half of the year fell roughly 5 percent compared with the same period in 2025. China and the United States were the main drags, hit by economic headwinds and the lingering effects of higher fuel prices. Yet electric cars told a different story. After a soft first quarter, global EV sales jumped about 35 percent from Q1 to Q2 and hit record levels in some 50 markets. More than 90 countries recorded year-on-year growth in the first six months.

China’s EV market is so large that even a flat year there moves the global needle. For the first time this decade, Chinese electric-car sales are expected to show little or no growth versus 2025. That is a genuine deceleration........

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